Battery Problems/New Battery
Discussion
I'm a new Chim owner(94 L) of just 10 weeks,battery went flat quite quickly from date of purchase so fitted a new one. Spoke to previous owner who said my battery was the 3rd in 12 months! The new battery keeps going flat despite the fact that I do not leave the alarm on overnight or during the day, but after 4/5 days of non use the battery goes flat and will not operate the door solonoids. Although I can get in the car via the roof, the central solonoid switch will not open any of the doors. With both doors closed it is almost impossible to get to the battery. Managed to get the battery charger connected to the + & - posts as sent my young son into the footwell, but when I switched it on there was a funny clicking sound that eminated under the car, central to the arm rest and the battery charger amperes needle went haywire. Is there a way of activating the door solonoids when the battery is flat? The centre opening knob is also inactive, why should this be as it is cable operated ? Any views on why the Chim is using up batteries at such a rate?
mgman50 said:
I'm a new Chim owner(94 L) of just 10 weeks,battery went flat quite quickly from date of purchase so fitted a new one. Spoke to previous owner who said my battery was the 3rd in 12 months! The new battery keeps going flat despite the fact that I do not leave the alarm on overnight or during the day, but after 4/5 days of non use the battery goes flat and will not operate the door solonoids. Although I can get in the car via the roof, the central solonoid switch will not open any of the doors. With both doors closed it is almost impossible to get to the battery. Managed to get the battery charger connected to the + & - posts as sent my young son into the footwell, but when I switched it on there was a funny clicking sound that eminated under the car, central to the arm rest and the battery charger amperes needle went haywire. Is there a way of activating the door solonoids when the battery is flat? The centre opening knob is also inactive, why should this be as it is cable operated ? Any views on why the Chim is using up batteries at such a rate?
Hi, A number of issues here:
1. Firstly, do you have a Bible ?? Its at: www.tvrbooks.co.uk You will really need to work throught what others have experienced!
2. "Early cars" have a marked drain on batteries, from quarter to half an amp. Whether the alarm is on or not, it will still be drawing power.
3. The clicking in central armrest is microwave detector for the alarm - whether alarm on or not it is on and detects (a relay clicks each time it senses movement) !!
4. You cannot expect solenoids to work when battery is flat. I would have though you would have keys and use the door locks manually - didn't think locks were removed until "P" reg '86/87?? The handbook will show you how they work. Do you have a Handbook ?
5. Door opening knob - this is cable operated and totally independant of all things electrical - suggest you remove pad at rear of central unit (velcro'd) take out long phillips screw, pull rear wards all you will see whether u have cables, plus the microwave detector.
6. Door opening button on top of door opening knob - see 4. above.
7. Connecting charger and seeing large current - You should ideally disconnect the battery first. When you eventually get a fully charged battery then I would start by disconnecting various circuits - ECU for example - I would refer you to the Bible and the wiring diagrams there.
8. If you've got this far and still not sure of what's going on - then I feel a visit to a Dealer or TVR Independant is what will sort your Chim out. Chims are "friendly" if you approach it all from a position of some knowledge - i.e. The Bible & Handbook as supplied.
Trev McM
P.S. Most owners who garage their pride & joy (including me) use an intelligent trickle charger (I use Optimate), which I also use on my 3-bikes!
>> Edited by K4TRV on Friday 16th April 09:05
I had almost exactly the same problem about a year ago on a 94 Chimaera, don't go buying new batterys, most have a few years garentee on them anyway so replacements should be free, but chances are theres nothing actually wrong with them, they are just really really flat, thats why when you put the charger on the needle goes mad (turn the charger off straight away as it's not doing either any good) the best tool I found for the job was a battery booster, basically a battery in a box with jump leads attached and usually with a compressor and a light in the back, I was using this to start the car everytime I needed it, and even having it plugged into an accumate battery condition wasn't helping (if you can, get one of these as well) what I did to 'cure' my problem in the end was I took the battery out the car and connected it to the battery booster, the charge from the full battery then 'flows' into the empty battery, when this had been on about a day I connected the Accumate, again with the battery out the car, and left that to charge the battery for a few more days (or until it says it's finished)
The battery was then re-fitted and I now use the accumate when the cars sat in the garage and it's been fine since, I use the car quite a bit, but sometimes it does go a week or 2 without movement and it's been fine for the last year, and it has the extra drain of having not only the TVR alarm but an aftermarket Clifford alarm as well.
The interior door release is a bit of a puzzle, as that always worked on mine when the battery was flat
The battery was then re-fitted and I now use the accumate when the cars sat in the garage and it's been fine since, I use the car quite a bit, but sometimes it does go a week or 2 without movement and it's been fine for the last year, and it has the extra drain of having not only the TVR alarm but an aftermarket Clifford alarm as well.
The interior door release is a bit of a puzzle, as that always worked on mine when the battery was flat
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